EP3706045B1 - Portable data carrier and method for manufacturing a portable data carrier - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a portable data carrier and a method for producing a portable data carrier.

background

In connection with RFID transponders (RFID, Radio Frequency Identification), two types can generally be distinguished: active transponders and passive transponders. Active transponders have their own power supply, for example using a battery. Passive transponders obtain the energy they need to operate from a field generated by an external device, in particular a reader. Energy and data are transmitted without contact. Depending on the RFID technology, this can be a magnetic field (RFID systems up to 13.56 MHz) or an electromagnetic field (RFID systems from 433 MHz). Passive RFID transponders are therefore inoperable without the external field provided by the external device. A large selection of transponder chip types are available for the following RFID technologies: low-frequency energy/data transmission - LF, 125 - 135 kHz; high frequency energy/data transmission - HF, 13.56 MHz and ultra high frequency (UHF) energy/data transmission - UHF, 850 - 950 MHz.

The RFID transponders have an antenna device with an antenna loop, which can have one or more turns and via which both the power supply of the transponder and the data exchange between the transponder and the external device takes place using the magnetic or electromagnetic field. To do this, the antenna loop couples to an external field, be it a magnetic field or an electromagnetic field, which is provided by an external device for transmitting data and/or energy, for example a read-write device.

For simple and fast contactless communication between two devices, an inductive transmission technology known as near field communication (NFC) has been developed. The coupling of the two devices, one of which is an RFID transponder, for example, takes place via coils, with the carrier frequency being 13.56 MHz, as in RFID systems.

The article in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia: "RFID" from March 1, 2019, deals mainly with RFID technology itself and RFID applications. It describes the history of development, technology, use, distribution and costs, study options, as well as concerns and criticism.

In the document US 2015 / 0 186 768 A1 A transponder is described on which a transparent, conductive material is applied. In particular, the transparent, conductive material forms an antenna or antenna section. The composition of the transparent, conductive material is described. Various ways of applying the transparent, conductive antenna to the transponder are shown.

An RFID transponder comprising an RFID chip, a loop electrically connected to the RFID chip, and a substantially transparent antenna coupled to the loop is described in the document US 2016 / 0 203 395 A1 disclosed. The RFID transponder can be placed over a light source without affecting its brightness. Alternatively, this RFID transponder can be fixed to a surface without covering markings, designs, motifs and/or text on the surface.

document DE 10 2008 058 398 A1 describes a data carrier with a body, as well as with a circuit arrangement and a printed antenna. The antenna is arranged in or on the body. The antenna is at least partially printed from a printing ink that contains at least one type of electrically conductive fullerene.

Another concept revealed in the document DE 10 2006 031 968 relates to an RFID transponder, an optical element with an RFID transponder and an antenna for an RFID transponder. The antenna of the object is optically transparent. Furthermore, a method for producing an antenna for an RFID transponder is disclosed.

The document US 2018 / 0 102 588 A1 discloses an electronic device having a display unit operable to electronically display information, an antenna formed from at least one transparent conductor extending across a top surface of the display unit, and a wireless communication circuit operatively coupled to the antenna and positioned beneath the display unit.

document US 2004 / 0 118 930 A1 describes a method for producing a transparent or translucent transaction card with multiple features, such as a holographic Foil, an integrated circuit chip, an RFID circuit, a silver magnetic stripe with text on the magnetic stripe, an opacity gradient, an invisible, optically detectable connection, and a translucent signature field so that the RFID circuitry and signature on the back of the card are visible from the front of the card.

A security element for RF identification and a security document provided with such a security element is contained in the document DE 10 2004 031 879 A1 disclosed. The security element has a flexible film body in which an electronic circuit, which is designed to store security-relevant information, and an RF antenna are integrated, which is connected to the electronic circuit and serves for contactless communication of the electronic circuit with a test device. A first optically variable element is permanently attached to a surface of the flexible film body, which at least partially covers the area of the flexible film body in which the electronic circuit is arranged.

The document US 2017 / 0 344 766 A1 relates to a communication device having a device-side antenna for wireless communication with an IC card, which includes a card-side antenna wound in a rectangular shape, the device-side antenna being formed in one or more loops. During wireless communication with the IC card having an inner circumference with a long dimension of 69 mm and a short dimension of 38 mm at a distance of 25 mm, an inner circumference of the device-side antenna is set at a position where the intensity H of a magnetic field generated by the card-side antenna in a direction perpendicular to a surface on which the device-side antenna is arranged is in a range given by the inequality 0.037 I/4π<H<0.063 I/4π, where I is a current of the card-side antenna.

In the document US 2018 / 0 194 158 A1 discloses a security document comprising at least one antenna and a chip connected to the antenna. The security document is characterized in that it further comprises at least one transparent window arranged such that at least a part of the antenna is visible in the window and thereby forms a visible security feature.

Summary

The object of the invention is to provide a portable data carrier and a method for producing a portable data carrier, which make it possible to flexibly produce portable data carriers in different designs, in particular with regard to optically transparent areas.

To solve this problem, a portable data carrier and a method for producing a portable data carrier according to the independent claims are created. Embodiments are the subject of dependent subclaims.

The portable data carrier is designed to receive energy and/or data from an external device, for example from a read/write device, in a contactless manner via the antenna device. In order to transmit energy and/or data, a contactless coupling is formed between the antenna device of the data carrier, in particular the antenna loop, and an antenna device of the read/write device. For example, an RFID transponder can be formed on the data carrier with the antenna device and the microcontroller.

Since the loop section of the antenna loop is transparent in the wavelength range of visible light, this loop section does not hinder the formation of optically transparent areas or sections on the data carrier body, for example in the form of an optical window. Rather, such areas can be provided variably on the data carrier body without taking the loop section into account. In contrast, the conductor tracks for the antenna loop known in the prior art must run in non-transparent sections of the data carrier body. Therefore, the area in which optically transparent sections of the data carrier body can be formed is significantly limited.

The data carrier body has an optically transparent region through which the loop section runs. The optically transparent region of the data carrier body can be transparent in particular in the wavelength range of visible light. According to the present invention, several optically transparent regions separated from one another are provided on the data carrier body as optically transparent windows. The loop section extends through all of these optically transparent regions.

The optically transparent region of the data carrier body and the loop section can be arranged together in a locally limited area. In a plan view of the data carrier, the optically transparent region and the loop section can overlap. Since in one possible embodiment both the optically transparent region and the loop section are transparent in the wavelength range of visible light are formed, the locally limited region can be transparent, in particular in plan view, and preferably completely transparent in the wavelength range of visible light.

The optically transparent region can be formed in a peripheral edge region of the data carrier body. The peripheral edge region of the data carrier can be interrupted or continuously optically transparent. This makes it possible to arrange the loop section and optionally further transparent sections of the antenna loop, if these are made of transparent material in the wavelength range of visible light, in the peripheral edge region so that the area enclosed by the antenna loop is as large as possible.

The antenna loop can be made entirely of the electrically conductive material and be transparent in the wavelength range of visible light.

The loop section can be a printed conductor track. In this embodiment, at least the loop section is produced by printing on the electrically conductive material. A transparent design of the antenna loop can also be achieved using different electrically conductive materials, each of which enables the formation of transparent loop sections.

The electrically conductive material can be an electrically conductive polymer material, for example PEDOT (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)) / Tysolate, which can be prepared, for example, by oxidative polymerization of ethylenedioxythiophene in the presence of iron(III) tosylate.

The manufacturing method may provide for the loop section to be manufactured as a printed conductor track. The entire antenna loop may be constructed using printed conductor tracks.

The embodiments explained in connection with the portable data carrier can be provided accordingly in the method for manufacturing.

The portable data carrier is a data carrier from the following group: contactless chip card, valuable or security document such as identity document or ID card. Chip cards with a processor are also called processor cards A contactless chip card, which can be set up for ISO 14443 compliant communication, can also have contacts that enable data to be read in and out using contact-based transmission, for example in accordance with ISO 7816.

A valuable or security document can be, for example, a passport, identity card, driving license, access control card or other identity document, passport data page, vehicle registration document, vehicle registration certificate, visa, check, means of payment, in particular a banknote, a check, bank, credit or cash payment card, customer card, health card, chip card, company ID, proof of entitlement, membership card, gift or shopping voucher, waybill or other proof of entitlement, tax stamp, postage stamp, ticket, token or other document. The valuable or security product can be, for example, a smart card. The valuable or security document can be in ID 1, ID 2, ID 3 or in any other standardized or non-standardized format, for example in booklet form, as with a passport-like object. Preferably, the valuable or security document is in card form.

A valuable or security product can generally be a laminate made of several document layers that are bonded together using heat and increased pressure to ensure a perfect fit. These products should meet standardized requirements, for example ISO 10373, ISO / IEC 7810, ISO 14443.

The document layers consist, for example, of a carrier material that is suitable for lamination. This carrier material can be formed by one or more polymers selected from the following group: polycarbonate (PC), in particular bisphenol A polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), their derivatives, such as glycol-modified PET (PETG), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylphenol (PVP), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), in particular thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) and their derivatives, or paper or cardboard or glass or metal or ceramic. The valuable or security document preferably consists of polycarbonate, particularly preferably polycarbonate based on bisphenol A or PC/TPU/PC. The polymers can be either filled or unfilled. In the latter case, they are preferably transparent or translucent. If the polymers are filled, they are opaque. The product is preferably made from 3 to 12 films, preferably 4 to 10 films.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines tragbaren Datenträgers, welcher als kontaktlose Chipkarte ausgeführt ist; und

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung eines weiteren tragbaren Datenträgers, welcher als kontaktlose Chipkarte ausgeführt ist.

Further details are explained below with reference to figures in a drawing. Here:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a portable data carrier which is designed as a contactless chip card; and

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of another portable data carrier, which is designed as a contactless chip card.

The examples in Fig. 1 and 2 do not belong to the present invention and, insofar as only one window is shown as an example, do not fall under the wording of the claims, but facilitate the understanding of the invention, according to which several of the Fig. 1 and 2 windows shown as examples.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a portable data carrier 1, which in the example is designed as a contactless chip card. An antenna device 3 and a microcontroller 4 connected to it are provided on a data carrier body 2, which are integrated into the data carrier body 2. In the case of the chip card, the data carrier body 1 can be produced as a layer arrangement of plastic films, as is known as such in various embodiments. The antenna device 3 and the microcontroller 4 are then arranged between layers of plastic films.

The antenna device 3 has an antenna loop 5 with a loop section 6, which in the example shown runs through an optically transparent window 7, in the area of which the data carrier body 1 is transparent in the wavelength range of visible light. For example, plastic films are used there, which are transparent. The formation of the loop section 6 from an electrically conductive material, such that the loop section 6 is (also) transparent in the wavelength range of visible light, is in the Fig. 1 shown using the dashed line.

The loop section 6 or the entire antenna loop 5 can be produced during the manufacture of the portable data carrier 1 by means of a printing process in which the electrically conductive material is printed onto an underlying substrate, i.e. in the case the chip card one or more plastic film layers already laminated on top of each other. To embed the antenna loop 5 in the data carrier body 1, it is then provided to laminate at least one further plastic film layer onto the antenna loop 5, as is known for the production of chip cards from plastic film layers.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of another portable data carrier 10, which is designed as a contactless chip card. The same reference numerals as in Fig. 1 The optically transparent window 7 is formed continuously along a peripheral edge 11. In the example in Fig. 2 the further portable data carrier 10 has connection contacts 12, via which a contact-based data exchange is additionally possible, as is known as such for chip cards.

list of reference symbols

1; 10

portable storage device

2

data carrier body

3

antenna setup

4

microcontroller

5

antenna loop

6

loop section

7

optically transparent area

11

surrounding edge area

12

connection contacts

Claims (7)

1. A portable data carrier (1; 10) that is configured to receive energy and/or data in a contactless manner, comprising:

   - a data carrier body (2);

   - an antenna device (3) which is arranged on the data carrier body (2) and has an antenna loop (5), wherein the antenna device (3) is configured to couple in a contactless manner to an external field by means of the antenna loop (5) for the transmission of energy and/or data; and

   - a microcontroller (4) which is arranged on the data carrier body (2) and has a processor and a storage device that is configured to store data received via the antenna device (3) and is connected to the antenna device (3) to receive an operating voltage;

   wherein

   - the antenna loop (5) has a loop section (6) made of an electrically conductive material which is transparent in the wavelength range of visible light; and

   - the portable data carrier (1; 10) is a data carrier selected from the following group: contactless chip card, value or security document or identification document,

   characterized in that the data carrier body (2) has multiple optically transparent windows that are separated from one another and the loop section (6) runs through the transparent windows.
2. The portable data carrier (1; 10) according to claim 1, characterized in that an optically transparent area (7) is formed in a surrounding frame-like edge region (11) of the data carrier body (2).
3. The portable data carrier (1; 10) according to at least any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the antenna loop (5) is made entirely of the electrically conductive material that is transparent in the wavelength range of visible light.
4. The portable data carrier (1; 10) according to at least any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the loop section (6) is a printed loop section (6).
5. The portable data carrier (1; 10) according to at least any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrically conductive material is an electrically conductive polymer material.
6. A method for manufacturing a portable data carrier (1; 10) that is configured to receive energy and/or data in a contactless manner, comprising:

   - manufacturing an antenna device (3) with an antenna loop (5) on a data carrier body (2), wherein the antenna device (3) is configured to couple in a contactless manner to an external device for the transmission of energy and/or data; and

   - arranging a microcontroller (4) on a data carrier body (2), wherein the microcontroller (4) is connected to the antenna device (3) for receiving an operating voltage and includes a processor and a storage device which is configured to store data received via the antenna device (3);

   wherein

   - the antenna loop (5) is manufactured with a loop section (6) made of an electrically conductive material which is transparent in the wavelength range of visible light; and

   - the portable data carrier (1; 10) is a data carrier selected from the following group: contactless chip card, value or security document or identification document,

   characterized in that the data carrier body (2) is manufactured with multiple optically transparent windows that are separated from one another and the loop section (6) runs through the transparent windows.
7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the loop section (6) is printed.

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